Sometimes you need a review that comes straight out and says it up top: absolutely bloody brilliant. It’s Batman with a live orchestra, and it really is as fantastic as you think it’s going to be.
The Australian Pops Orchestra, as led by conductor Sarah-Grace Williams, was truly kissing the stratosphere in their performance of Batman (1989) 35th Anniversary – Live in Concert. Launching a tour of performances across Australia until January 2025, the audience in Melbourne’s Regent Theatre was treated with as stupendous an opening night as could be imagined.
With an introduction from the tour’s producer at TCG Entertainment, the audience was actively invited to cheer, boo, and even sing along with the 1989 blockbuster’s most famous lines.
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Packed with guests dressed in a variety of outfits – ranging from opening-night glam to fanboy Bat attire – the atmosphere of the room was excitably chatty, with many groups twisting around in their chairs to communally share their enthusiasm during the interval.
The projection itself was smooth, well-lit and clearly visible. An inspired touch was to present the film with subtitles, allowing audiences to follow along without having to strain their ear away from the orchestra.
This was an important choice because the orchestra was, beyond doubt, the shining star of this concert.
There are few instances where I struggle to put into a sentence how jaw-droppingly fantastic a live performance is, but this is one such instance. The Australian Pops Orchestra was fabulously, breathlessly accomplished last night. The speed, complexity, and polarity of emotional tones within Danny Elfman’s iconic score is a challenge for any orchestra to play, even piece by piece.
But to present nearly two hours of music, in real-time – and in perfect synchronisation – with an explosive action movie, is nothing short of miraculous. The sound balance between film and live orchestra was pristine, allowing the music to really sing in alignment with the exquisite imagery of Tim Burton’s definitive comic book adaptation.
Sarah-Grace Williams commanded note-perfect control of her superhero players last night, in a performance that will long stand as a textbook presentation of live-in-concert film presentations within Australia.
I said it up top and I’ll say it again: absolutely bloody brilliant.
Grab your tickets to Batman 35 – Live in Concert here.
